1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to equipment for distributing and processing objects, such as lumps of dough in automated bakery equipment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Although the subject invention is broadly applicable in many areas involving distribution and processing of objects, it is herein disclosed with primary reference to apparatus for proofing lumps of dough as, for instance, employed in automated bakeries and similar institutions.
Several instances are known in the art of baking or dough processing which require dough to be brought to a proper condition for a subsequent operation. For instance, after dough has been divided into lumps, the lumps are rounded up and the rounded up lumps are allowed to stand a given time to recuperate from the dividing and rounding up action, before they are processed further. Similary, it is frequently necessary to bring lumps of dough to a certain humidity or temperature level which renders them suitable for a desired operation. Frequently, time delays in the handling of dough are necessary to permit dough to rise under the influence of yeast or a similar agent, or in order to enable another desired chemical reaction inside the dough.
These and other processes which require lumps of dough to be subjected to a delayed time action or to a controlled period of inaction are herein consolidated under the designation "proofing", with the latter term being employed in a broad and generic sense without any intention of limitation to a strict and technical meaning.
In terms of human history, the classical method for providing the time element requisite to the proofing of dough has been and for the most part still is letting the dough rest for a while in a stationary condition.
In modern bakery enterprises, this time-honored method has brought about considerable inconvenience, as the lumps of dough in question typically has to be gathered onto pans with the aid of manual labor and, after the proofing step, had to be redistributed into the further manufacturing process.
With the advent of the machine age, various attempts were made to mechanize the proofing process. While some limited success was achieved in this area, the need for reliable and effective automatic proofing equipment has persisted up to the present.